Pat Cummins Scripts Rare Hat-Trick of First-Ball Wickets for SRH in Washed-Out Clash

SRH skipper Pat Cummins etches his name in IPL history with three first-ball wickets in a single match, but rain spoils playoff hopes as the game against Delhi Capitals ends in a no-result.

Hyderabad, May 6:
Pat Cummins delivered a fiery spell that etched his name into Sunrisers Hyderabad’s history books, becoming just the fourth player from the franchise to take a wicket off the very first ball of an IPL match. His performance in Match 55 against Delhi Capitals (DC) was nothing short of electric, even though persistent rain eventually washed away SRH’s playoff hopes.

Playing in a do-or-die fixture at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Cummins made an immediate impact by dismissing Karun Nair for a golden duck on the very first delivery of the match. The Aussie pacer induced a faint edge off a probing good-length delivery, safely pouched by wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan, igniting wild celebrations in the Orange Army’s stands.

Cummins wasn’t done. He struck again with the first ball of his next over, removing Delhi’s key batter Faf du Plessis (3 off 8) with a sharp delivery that kissed the outside edge and nestled into Kishan’s gloves. Then came a repeat in his third over — another first-ball wicket. This time, it was Abishek Porel (8 off 10), whose mistimed flick ballooned into the air, landing straight into the gloves of a waiting Kishan.

With figures of 3/19 in his four overs, Cummins not only dismantled Delhi’s top order but also joined an elite list of SRH bowlers who have struck off the first ball of an IPL match. Before him, Jagadeesha Suchith (vs Virat Kohli, 2022), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (vs Prabhsimran Singh, 2023), and Mohammed Shami (vs Shaik Rasheed, 2025) had achieved the feat.

Despite Cummins’ heroics and Delhi being restricted to a modest 133/7, SRH’s playoff dreams were dashed. Rain intervened before Hyderabad could begin their chase, and the match was officially called off due to a wet outfield.

The washout leaves Sunrisers Hyderabad with just 8 points from 12 matches, officially knocking them out of the IPL 2025 playoff race. Delhi Capitals, meanwhile, climbed to 14 points from 12 matches, keeping their qualification hopes alive.